The PKD Foundation of Canada is proud to be hosting it's first Virtual PKD Summit this September! The summit will consist of 3 half days filled with educational events catered towards PKD patients and their loved ones, on September 3, 10th and 17th.
The 2021 Virtual PKD Summit is an opportunity for the PKD medical community, renal healthcare professionals, PKD patients, their families and loved ones to connect and hear presentations from top Canadian and International Key Opinion Leaders in the field of PKD. We hope you can join us!
Day 3: September 17th Agenda
| Time (EST) | |
| 9:00 am - 9:30 am | Housekeeping with the PKD Foundation of Canada's Executive Director, Jeff Robertson |
| 9:30 am - 10:30 am |
Understanding Kidney Transplantation During this presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to learn all about the ins and outs of kidney transplantation, what to expect pre-transplant and post-transplant, and the various roles medical professionals will play in managing your care throughout the whole process. Following the presentation, there will be time for you to have your questions answered directly by Dr. Bee-Jay Realubit. Speaker: Mr. Bee-Jay Realubit, RN, BNSc, MN, Clinical Coordinator, Renal Transplant, Ajmera Transplant Centre, Toronto General Hospital- University Health Network |
| 10:30 am - 11:30 am |
Pre-Implantation & Genetic Diagnosis and PKD Get a better understanding of the genetics of PKD; learn how polycystic kidney disease (PKD) passes down from generation to generation through either a dominant or recessive gene, and about fertility options that are available to families (e.g. pre-implantation genetic diagnosis or PGD). Attendees will also hear the personal story of Joy Pekar, who's husband has PKD, and her family on how their lives were affected by PGD. Decisions on family planning are highly personal and all options will be discussed in a supportive and non-judgmental way. Speaker: Joy Pekar, BSc, BEd, Hamilton Chapter Coordinator, PKD Foundation of Canada |
| 11:30 am - 11:45 am | Break |
| 11:45 am - 12:45 pm |
Navigating the Changing Landscape of PKD Join us as Dr. Louis Girard provides the group with insight into autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), what a PKD diagnosis can mean for you or a loved one, as well as how PKD can be managed on a daily basis. Dr. Girard will also touch on his involvement in the Canadian Expert Consensus on Assessing Risk of Disease Progression and Pharmacological Management of ADPKD, in which he was a co-author. Following his presentation, attendees will be given the opportunity to participate in a live Q&A, having their questions answered by Dr. Girard directly. |
Register Here!
About the Speakers:
Mr. Bee-Jay Realubit, RN, BNSc, MN, Clinical Coordinator, Renal Transplant, Ajmera Transplant Centre, Toronto General Hospital- University Health Network
Mr. Bee-Jay Realubit, Registered Nurse is a clinical coordinator for the Kidney Transplant Assessment program at the Ajmera Transplant Centre - University Health Network. He holds a Bachelors of Nursing Science from Queen’s University (2003) and a Master of Nursing – Nursing Administration (2007). With over 18 years of nursing experience, his main clinical focus involves solid organ transplantation and working with recipients and transplant candidates throughout the continuum of care. He has held various clinical and leadership roles as a Staff Nurse, Nurse Educator, Patient Care Coordinator and Nurse Manager in Toronto ON and in Vancouver BC. He is an active participant in the High School Outreach Initiative (HSOI) promoting organ and tissue donor awareness to students in the Greater Toronto Area during the academic school year.
Joy Pekar, BSc, BEd, Hamilton Chapter Coordinator, PKD Foundation of Canada
Joy Pekar BSc, BEd is trained as a science teacher. Early in her relationship she learned that her partner (and future husband) had PKD. She learned what this meant for any future children he might have and what options existed if they were to build a family together. But she quickly learned that putting science into action was not as easy as it sounds. Many people, and even some professionals, don’t know all the options out there. Joy shares that her family has benefited from being involved with the PKD Foundation of Canada for many years. She found value in connecting with others who have been affected and learning from their experiences and from the professionals that specialize in PKD. She and her husband have volunteered with the PKDFOC by acting as workshop and symposium speakers, as well as planning multiple fundraisers. She enjoys sharing her journey because she feels that knowledge is power, and that by sharing the different options that exist in a way that people can connect to and understand, she hopes that people will feel empowered to make the choices that are right for them.
Dr. Louis Girard, MD, MBT, FRCPC
Dr. Louis Girard joined the Division of Nephrology at the University of Calgary in July of 2010. He is a Nephrologist and Clinical Associate Professor. He is the medical director of the Glomerulonephritis Clinic and Apheresis. Additionally, he has developed clinics to look after patients with ADPKD, Tuberous Sclerosis complex and inherited disorders of the complement cascade. His work in developing theses clinics was recognized with the Dr. John Conly Innovation award in 2018. Dr. Girard is a member of the Canadian ADPKD recommendations committee and the CanVASC ANCA vasculitis guideline committee. He is heavily involved in randomized clinical trials. He has several peer-reviewed publications which includes being published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Dr. Girard has a strong commitment to education and has won numerous awards for his teaching contributions at all levels of medical training.